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Re: Tomlin sending Steelers the wrong message

All in all, it all depends on how much of the playbook the new players see.
There is a point where you have the plays down pat and start moving on instinct...hence "shorts" practices.
But there is another thing called game speed and hitting.

Someone can perform great under the "shorts" conditions, but wilts when the pads go on.
In the meantime, I would make sure my players learn as much as possible to facilitate the moving from thinking to reacting/instinct, which is a huge part of the "shorts" practices.

Does skipping one practice mean failure?
No, but I'm sure the newest players would have benefited from it.

Re: Tomlin sending Steelers the wrong message

Bill Belichick cut his short too. He's got a new WR to break into the system, Gronk's hurt and that defense is garbage. Is he on the hot seat now too?

"When questioned, the Elders explained that they were in search of magical powers. However, they're actually searching for the whereabouts of a certain ring. This ring is a legendary treasure that long ago was known to exist"

Re: Tomlin sending Steelers the wrong message

Personally, I don't see how the debatable reality that Tomlin won with many of Cowher's guys can be held against him when you consider the fact that Cowher took goodness knows how long to win with his own guys.

"When questioned, the Elders explained that they were in search of magical powers. However, they're actually searching for the whereabouts of a certain ring. This ring is a legendary treasure that long ago was known to exist"

Re: Tomlin sending Steelers the wrong message

Originally Posted by GOTA

The feeling is mutual because it's obvious that he hates us too.

Right? He obviously hates us and its so annoying. If you want to pick against us and have some evidence to back that claim cool, not everyone has to support the Ravens. But when you blatantly just hateeee it grinds my gears.

Heath Evans is the most diabolical hater this side of the Mississippi. (Chappelle Show reference).

Marshal Faulk doubted Flacco all season long and, when called out for it by Rich Eisen, tried to act like he always believed in him.

Guys like Sapp and Irvin had their doubts, but were quick to come to Flacco's defense after Evans dropped that pass last year.

"When questioned, the Elders explained that they were in search of magical powers. However, they're actually searching for the whereabouts of a certain ring. This ring is a legendary treasure that long ago was known to exist"

Marshal Faulk doubted Flacco all season long and, when called out for it by Rich Eisen, tried to act like he always believed in him.

Guys like Sapp and Irvin had their doubts, but were quick to come to Flacco's defense after Evans dropped that pass last year.

These are great points.

Its no surprise about Jamie Dukes doubts because he lives in Atlanta and played for the Falcons. ATL is obsessed with proving that Flacco can't be on the same field with Ryan that if a guy like Jamie gives Joe any real praise he'll be skewered in his home town. The producers know it and so does he.

Dilfer's angle is born of bitterness. When he stated that Walter Jones was by far the best offensive lineman he's seen and its not even close. At that point I stopped listening to Trent because to insult JO who protected his butt and led him to a SB title was the ultimate in spitefulness.

It's to my understand that Ogden refused to engage with Dilfer during the 2010 reunion at the Bills game. Can't say I blame him.

In the end these 'young' producers are about splash and sizzle versus substance.

Re: Tomlin sending Steelers the wrong message

Originally Posted by Spider Webb

I was watching NFL Network (Total Access) and Heath Evans said that the Steelers are the best team in the AFC North and he likes them to win. He said that the Steelers are a "known commodity". The host says "well the Ravens are a known commodity". Heath Evans replies with a "IDK *bullsh!t* *bullsh!t*" and just completely discredited our success. For those of you who watch Game of Thrones....I wish I had Heath Evans' head on a spike. Fuckin hate that guy.

In fairness, what Evans said was, "I don't know...I just still see the Ravens as 'the little brother' to the Steelers in this division." What I think is important about what he actually said, is that he at no time offered or pretended to offer analysis. He said, straight up, that this is his perception, just how he feels.

Originally Posted by Losac

Have they even fired a coach since Chuck Noll's predecessor?

Originally Posted by saintmatthew

Bruce Arians, which seems downright retarded in hindsight.

I really wonder what the heck went down in this situation. Was that a Rooney call? Now that I think about it, has Tomlin ever had anything to do with putting his staff together? Strange Bru put together a pretty nice list showing that he mainly coaches with whoever is there. The way it was handled - not firing Arians, but announcing that he retired (news to him!) - was just bizarre, and made me think it was an ownership move. Which confused me further, because I didn't think the Rooneys micro-managed like that. It was just odd, and neither Tomlin nor the Rooneys seemed to want to publicly take the lead as the "decider" on that issue.

Oh, and Bru, Danny Smith, the ST coach you couldn't find any info on? Came from the Redskins, a holdover that Shanahan kept from the Gibbs 2.0/Zorn years, up until this off season. Listening to DC sports talk radio has taught me that MOST Redskins' fans blame Danny Smith for this.

Re: Tomlin sending Steelers the wrong message

The only time I heard him speak against us was in saying he thought the 49ers were the better team leading up to the Super Bowl. That has little to do with his opinion of Joe.

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“When I think of a Baltimore Raven - we go in there, we take your lunch box, we take your sandwich, we take your juice box, we take your applesauce, and we take your spork and we break it. And we leave you with an empty lunch. That’s the Baltimore Raven way.” - Steve Smith Sr.

Re: Tomlin sending Steelers the wrong message

Originally Posted by dreamjo

Oh, and Bru, Danny Smith, the ST coach you couldn't find any info on? Came from the Redskins, a holdover that Shanahan kept from the Gibbs 2.0/Zorn years, up until this off season. Listening to DC sports talk radio has taught me that MOST Redskins' fans blame Danny Smith for this.

What may be even better about that play, it was either that time, or a different time they ran a fake...The Redskins motioned everyone wide left and the opponent called a TO. After the TO...the REDSKINS RAN THE EXACT SAME PLAY. And it failed. Because they showed their hand and the D called a TO to prepare.

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“When I think of a Baltimore Raven - we go in there, we take your lunch box, we take your sandwich, we take your juice box, we take your applesauce, and we take your spork and we break it. And we leave you with an empty lunch. That’s the Baltimore Raven way.” - Steve Smith Sr.

The only time I heard him speak against us was in saying he thought the 49ers were the better team leading up to the Super Bowl. That has little to do with his opinion of Joe.

Agreed.

Dilfer is one of the better analysts on ESPN. I've never heard a bitter word from him.

Quite the opposite in fact.

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